PEEBLES Auction House has defended its decision to offer Nazi memorabilia for sale this weekend – after a member of the public expressed her shock at the move.
A 1940s German ‘Banner Flag’ with the Nazi symbol, valued between £395-595, and a Nazi survivor veteran armband, valued between £55-85, are set to go under the hammer in Peebles tomorrow (Saturday, April 8).
A concerned resident, who asked not to be named, contacted the Border Telegraph to say: “I’m shocked to hear that the sale of a Nazi flag and Nazi survivor armband are going up to be sold at Peebles Auction House this weekend.
“I find it in very poor taste to be selling these items, which glorify hate and violence, and I can’t understand who or why anyone would like to purchase it.
“I’m very worried the items could be snapped up and used by neo-Nazi groups from abroad to fuel their agenda.”
However, Gary Rennie, from Peebles Auction House, said: “The two artefacts are pieces of history, and irrespective of what they stand for, they are of great interest to many historians as there is a huge following for this.
“Various items of Nazi memorabilia are sold in many auction houses up and down the country, not just in Peebles.
“It is legal to sell these items in this country, but to reassure the concerned individual, I’d like to stress that we can’t sell the items to buyers from abroad.”
The sale of Nazi memorabilia is illegal in several countries, including France, Germany, Austria and Hungary.
In 2012, MPs called on the UK government to ban the sale of Nazi memorabilia after items belonging to Holocaust victims were sold at a public auction.
A tray, which was presented to Hitler as a 50th birthday present, went under the hammer for £28,000 in Bristol in March 2012.
Large UK auction houses such as Christies, Sotheby’s and Bonhams, plus online auction site e-Bay all refuse to sell the material.
The sale of the two items will take place at Peebles Auction House, on Old Church Road on Saturday, April 8 at 10.30am.
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